cobbler, keep to your last
One should not criticise matters outside one's field of expertise; one should mind one's business.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“You should stick to your job and cobbler, keep to your last.”
“The accountant tried to tell the doctor how to perform surgery, but the doctor told him to cobbler, keep to your last.”
“While the amateur critic offered unsolicited advice on the complex architectural plans, the lead engineer politely reminded him that a cobbler should keep to his last.”
From last (“a tool for shaping shoes”), related to the Latin phrase sutor, ne ultra crepidam.
- 01
breathe one's last
To die.
- 02
dead last
Finishing in last place in a competition or ranking, often by a considerable margin to the next to last place finisher or after an exceptionally poor showing or season.
- 03
draw one's last breath
To die.
- 04
earn one's keep
To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.
- 05
every last
every; without exception (used for emphasis).
- 06
fall at the last hurdle
To fail near the end of an activity, a project, etc.
- 07
first and last
A person's combined given name and surname.
- 08
gift that keeps on giving
Something with continuous (typically positive) consequences.
Last updated August 10, 2026